Some pop songs are built for escapism. They offer a three-minute vacation from the weight of things. Paul Jenner, the creative force behind the musical project 50mething, seems uninterested in this kind of holiday. His work is consistently grounded in the here and now, tackling the social and political agitations of our time with a composer’s ear and a critical eye. His 2026 single, “You Can’t...

Ken Woods and the Old Blue Gang kick up some serious dust with their single "Ride the Rails," and listening feels less like tapping your foot and more like watching the ground crack open nearby. It’s got that Bakersfield twang alright, bright and wiry, but tangled up with a nervous psychobilly heartbeat and the kind of scuffed-boot roots rock energy that sounds like it’s...